Game apparatus.



No. 854,640. PATBNTED MAY 21, 1907.

L. D. H. FULLER. V 4

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.27,1903.

FIGS. RG4.

WITNESSES I A r I A l me/M 5 5 UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed Apr1'127, 1903. Serial No. 154,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS D. H. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saxonville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to game apparatus.

The object of the present invention is to produce a game apparatus which is simple in construction, which may be used for the playing of a variety of games, and which may be adjusted for players of varying size and skill.

To the above ends'the present invention consists in the devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

The present invention is applicable to games in which a ball or other article is thrown or batted into a suitable basket or pocket, and it contemplates the use of a plurality of baskets of different sizes, mounted upon a supporting standard in such a manner as to be adjustable, both as to height and as to relative positions.

The present invention also contemplates other features which will be described and claimed.

In the accompanying sheet of drawing which illustrates a preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a hont elevation of my improved game apparatus withportions of the standards broken out, Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the baskets; Fig. 3 is a detail partially in section showing the means for vertical adjustment of the standards and Fig. 4 is a detail partially in section showing the construction of the cross bar and the manner of securing it in the standard.

The baskets or pockets are cylindrical in form and are made by attaching netting 1 to a stifl metal hoop 2, and securing to the bottom of the netting a disk 3 of metal. The hoop 2 is provided with a socket 4 and setscrew 5 by which it may be secured to the standard. To the bottom of the basket a bell 6 may be attached, which will ring when the ball falls or lodges in the basket. Bells of different tones may be used to distinguish the different baskets.

' and thus by assigning The standard comprises uprights 7 supported on legs or tripods S and a cross bar 9. The ends of the cross bar are secured in sockets 10 on the uprights 7 by set screws 11, being flattened where engaged by the set screws in order to prevent turning of the cross bar. The cross bar is divided in the middle, for convenience in handling when the apparatus is dis-assembled, and the parts are connected by a sleeve 12 fixed on the end of one part and closely fitting the end of the other. The uprights are made in telescopic form so as to be vertically.adjustable, and the sections are fixed by set screws 13. The tripods are of'familiar construction and do not need particular description.

Many games may be played with this apparatus, but it is particularly adapted to a game played as follows: The player stands at a determined distance from the apparatus, and with a bat or racket of suitable form strikes a large and light rubber gas ball of slightly less diameter than the smallest basket causing the ball to strike the floor and rebound. He then attempts to bat the ball into one of the baskets by repeated strokes with the racket, before it again touches the floor. Each time this is successfully performed a number is added to the players score, values being assigned to the diflerent baskets in inverse proportion to their diameters. By extending more'or less the telescoping sections of the standard the height of the baskets may be varied, adapting the apparatus for use by players of all ages. Moreover, the distances between the baskets may be varied along the cross bar by the use of the set screws 5 to make the game more or less diflicult to suit the skill of the players. When the baskets are near together the ball, if it fails to enter one basket, may rebound therefrom and fall into another, while with the baskets widely separated the player must select one particular basket as his objective, such selection being made according to his skill. Thus the horizontal adjustment of the baskets permits considerable variation in the relative degrees of the skill and chance involved. As the baskets are of different diameters it requires different degrees of skill to bat the ball into them, proportionate values to thebaskets an element of chance is introduced, for it is easier to scorein the larger baskets but more profitable to score in the smaller.

When the apparatus is not in use it may be folded into a very compact form, the telescopic sections of the upright are nested and the tripods folded closely against them. The ,cross bar is removed and taken apart, and the baskets removed from the cross bar and collapsed, the bottoms thereof being of slightly less diameter than the rings so as to be inserted therein.

Having thus described my invention and its mode of operation, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of baskets of different sizes, means for supporting the same, and bells attached to the baskets, the bells being of different pitch proportionate to the sizes of the baskets, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus comprising a rod,

20 supports for the same, and a basket secured upon the rod, said basket comprising a metal hoop having a socket piece to receive the rod, a set screw for securing the socket piece upon the rod, and netting attached to the hoop, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of baskets of different sizes, bells attached to the baskets, the bells being of different pitch proportionate to the size of the baskets, and means for supporting the baskets having provision for adjusting the baskets horizontally toward or from one another, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS D. H. FULLER.

Witnesses:

FARNUM F. DORSEY, ALFRED H. HILDRETH. 

